The PC has been the master of the FPS, adventure and strategy genres for over a decade with some genre defining games along the way, so it’s little wonder that this author values the gaming platform so highly. There’s also very little in the way of PC gaming magazines digitally archived around the globe, so we at Out-of-Print Archive try to address that problem with [... read more ...]

Much like their most enduring games series and character, Phantomasa, The Mojon Twins are back releasing new games on the faithful ZX Spectrum with the third in the aforementioned game series: Phantomasa 3 – Fundamentally Loathsome. And it wouldn’t be a Mojon Twins’ game without a deliciously bizarre plot which involves a robot Phantomasa in an alternate Parallel Universe who is on a mission to [... read more ...]

As we conclude our Laser Squad week, we take a look at some of the remakes that have been developed over the past few years… LaserSquad.org This is essentially a straight remake of the Spectrum version, but playable in your browser. All the original scenarios are here, including the expansion packs and ‘The Return to Moonbase’ homebrew scenario. It is a very accurate port and [... read more ...]

With all the Laser Squad excitement at the moment, we almost forgot about the latest issue of Retro Gamer. Rather than put up the usual news post about the thing, though, we thought we would write up a mini review of the more interesting features. It’s a classic Crash/Zzap!64 style cover as Oli Frey supplies the superb artwork for this issue: King Kong munching on [... read more ...]

As we continue our Laser Squad week, we take a look at the homebrew missions that have been developed for the Spectrum… Those resourceful chaps from Russia have only created their very own scenarios for Laser Squad. 13 extra missions are known to exist, saved as mere Z80 files which can be loaded as a snapshot straight into a Spectrum emulator. The missions themselves range [... read more ...]

Following our look at the 8-bit versions of Laser Squad – as part of our Laser Squad week special – we now take a look at the 16-bit versions of the game along with the videogaming magazine’s views at the time… Amiga/Atari ST (1990) Obviously, the 16-bit versions have notably better graphics, with full use of the respective machine’s colour and sprite capabilities. While not [... read more ...]

Following our retrospective intro, we continue our Laser Squad week by looking at the 8-bit versions of the game and the videogaming magazine’s views at the time… ZX Spectrum (1988) The original, as mentioned, is a fine game with minimalist aesthetics. While the graphics may well be monochrome, they are functional and suffer no colour clash. Sound is very sparse but effective. The gameplay is [... read more ...]

With Laser Squad being one of my all time favourite games it was inevitable that I would revisit the game. With issue 5 of Retroaction put on definite hold, the planned ‘mega article’ on the game can now be published in a week long special of Laser Squad articles, starting with a look at the game itself… Going by personal experience, films or music which [... read more ...]

“The Game Boy Advance was, and still is, a fantastic machine for retrogaming enthusiasts. The hardware architecture of the machine meant that developers could easily bring classic games from the 16-bit era bang up to date with remakes, updates and reboots. While this was all fantastic, gamers shouldn’t forget that there are also some excellent original games available on the Nintendo portable console. One of [... read more ...]

The early 1990s was a time when the consoles really began to make inroads on the computer domination on the UK gaming scene and this was amplified with the release of the original Sonic the Hedgehog on the Mega Drive. This is the time where our July 1991 Back in Time article focuses on this month. As usual, we also take a look at a [... read more ...]

The final entry into this year’s Sideways SEUCK Game Making Competition is Action Def from Christian Siege. Taking control of the titular Action Def, the player is sent on a secret mission to find guards and deal with them appropriately. Essentially, Action Def is a ladders/trap scenario where the player must use precise timing to avoid dangers, all the while dealing with the mission’s objectives. [... read more ...]

A Defender clone created in SEUCK? Yep, it has happened, thanks to Pavel Loda / Deff-Soft. Deff-Ender is the sixth entry into the Sideways SEUCK Compo 2011. As with the arcade classic, the player pilots a space craft across four zones, defending humans from being abducted from the ground by descending alien ships. This means super blasting action with the odd quick rescue mission. Go [... read more ...]

After a lengthy period in hibernation, the NintendoAGE eZine is back with Vol. 5 Issue 1 July 2011 edition. Returning back to its monthly release, this issue’s highlights contents include a Q&A with Ralph Baer, Nintendo Fun Club News collecting, Accessory Spotlight, Super Price Guide and more. As before, the eZine can be downloaded for free in PDF format from the NintendoAGE website. Weblink: NintendoAge [... read more ...]

I’ve always been such a massive fan of Flashback (known as Flashback: The Quest for Identity in North America), so it was inevitable that an article about the classic cinematic platform adventure would turn up sooner or later. Another article that was earmarked for issue 5 makes its way over to the wonderful retro section of the GameFan website. A superb game that is still [... read more ...]

The 51st issue of Commodore Free has just been released. The retrogaming zine covers all things Commodore related, from the VIC-20 to the Amiga, with news, reviews and interviews. This issue’s highlights include a review of the latest Commodore 64 game, The Adventures of Jim Slim in Dragonland, which is accompanied by an interview with the developers, Protovision and a look at their website. Elsewhere, [... read more ...]